Sheffield United 0-5 Aston Villa: Five different goalscorers see Villains sweep Blades aside for first win in four

Ollie Watkins starred as Aston Villa scored four goals inside half an hour on their way to a resounding 5-0 victory at rock-bottom Sheffield United.

The England striker had a hand in the majority of the visitors’ big moments, hitting the post with a 12th-minute effort that allowed John McGinn to tap home the rebound.

Watkins then doubled Villa’s lead four minutes later with a clinical, low finish before teeing up Leon Bailey to curl in a third on 20 minutes.

Unai Emery’s men were cutting through The Blades at will and it was four on the half-hour mark when Youri Tielemans thundered a superb strike in off the bar.

The pattern threatened to continue when Watkins notched another assist as he crossed for Alex Moreno to volley in a fifth just 90 seconds into the second half.

However, the away side took their foot off the gas for the rest of the encounter and coasted through to the three points.

The result moves Villa back into the top four, five points adrift of leaders Liverpool having played a game more. Emery’s side are level on points with Arsenal and Manchester City but sit fourth on goal difference.

Sheffield United are bottom and10 points adrift of safety having played a game more than Nottingham Forest in 17th place.

Next up, Villa face an FA Cup fourth-round replay at home to Chelsea on Wednesday prior to hosting Manchester United in the Premier League on Sunday.

Sheffield United travel to fellow strugglers Luton in a key clash at the bottom of the table on Saturday.

After a run of one league win in their previous five outings, Villa needed to find another gear to ensure their fantastic work in the early part of the season did not begin to fizzle out.

Their first home league loss of the campaign against Newcastle in midweek had raised a few concerns for Emery and Co, but this was an emphatic response.

Villa were electric in attack and ruthlessly punished their woeful opponents time and time again to secure a first league win of 2024 and give themselves a timely lift.

As for The Blades, this was right up there with the season-low endured in the 8-0 home loss to Newcastle back in September. Indeed, any hope Chris Wilder could inspire a marked improvement in the latter part of the campaign is seemingly fading fast.

The striker ended a run of six games without a goal against Newcastle and he looked bang at it at Bramall Lane. A goal and a hand in three others capped an attacking display of pace, purpose and clinical finishing. The only frustration for the 28-year-old would have been that he did not add further to a season’s tally that now stands at 16 in all competitions.

SHEFF UTD: Foderingham 6, Bogle 5, Ahmedhodzic 5, Holgate 5, Trusty 5, Souza 5, McAtee 5, Norrington-Davies 5, Brooks 5, Brereton 5, Osula 5. Subs: Hamer 6, Robinson 6, Osborn 6, Archer 6, Davies 5.

ASTON VILLA: Martinez 8, Konsa 8, Carlos 8, Lenglet 8, Moreno 8, McGinn 8, Kamara 8, Luiz 9, Tielemans 8, Bailey 8, Watkins 9*. Subs: Ramsey 7, Cash 7, Diaby 8, Iroegbunam 6, Rogers n/a.

12’ – GOAL! – Sheffield United 0-1 Aston Villa: (McGinn). Watkins races clear on to Luiz’s pass and clips the ball over the 'keeper. His effort hits the near post but McGinn arrives on cue to wallop it into an empty net.

16’ – GOAL! – Sheffield United 0-2 Aston Villa: (Watkins). Luiz spins an outside-of-the-foot pass into the space for Watkins to charge away again, and this time he makes no mistake as he rifles a low shot into the far corner from the right side of the box.

20’ – GOAL! – Sheffield United 0-3 Aston Villa: (Bailey). It's a sublime finish as another lightning break sees Watkins feed Bailey, who cuts inside on the right and curls into the top corner.

30’ – GOAL! – Sheffield United 0-4 Aston Villa: (Tielemans). Tielemans makes it count this time as he seizes upon a half-cleared corner from the left and blasts a stunning 15-yard shot in off the bar. The goal comes just seconds after the Belgian had an effort cleared off the line.

47’ – GOAL! – Sheffield United 0-5 Aston Villa: (Moreno). Watkins takes advantage of more poor defending to hang a cross towards an unmarked Moreno at the far post and he makes no mistake with a scorching volley.

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